Stiffened garment hanger



ea, 28, 1943. P. LIPMAN STIFFENED GARMENT HANGER Filed Sept. 3, 1942 IVENTOR PAUL L/PM/l/V Y Y ORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE STIFFENED GARMENT HANGER Paul Lipman, New York, N. Y. Application September 3, 1942, Serial No. 45,126 Claims. (01. 223- 87) This invention relates to garment hangers and its primary object is to provide a hanger, formed of a. single piece of fibrous material, which is strong and durable yet inexpensive to manufacture.

Because of the present national emergency, and the need of metal and wood for more vital uses, inexpensive hangers such as those made of wire or of wire and wood, are disappearing from the market. The lessened supply to cleaning and dyeing establishments of such hangers and their greatly increased cost has affected them acutely inasmuch as they are not sold for profit but supplied to their customers gratis. Accordingly, there is much need for an inexpensive yet efiective hanger which may be made of available non-strategic materials.

This invention, therefore, contemplates the provision of a strong, durable hanger made entirely of corrugated or similar board and capable of being manufactured in the same low price class as wire or wire and wood hangers.

The invention further contemplates an improved hanger structure made of inherently weak material yet so formed as to be strong and durable for the purpose intended.

Another contemplated feature of the invention is to stiffen and thus strengthen a hanger formed of an essentially weak sheet of material whereby it is rendered efficient for its purpose.

More specifically, the invention seeks to provide a hanger formed as a blank or corrugated or similar material; cut and dried to provide stiffening portions; and provided with interlocks whereby folded portions of the blank are held in the position desired and maintained durin normal use of the hanger.

Although the invention is particularly timely, its effectiveness and novelty would be equally essential in more normal times.' the present novel invention representing an important contribution to the garment hanger art.

The foregoing objects and features and others which may hereinafter become apparent. are realized in the illustrated embodiments of the invention which form the bases of the following specification, both the drawing and the specification being exemplary of the invention.

In the drawing Fig. l is a front view of a garment hanger incorporating features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a blank from which the hanger shown in Fig. 1 is formed.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of an interlock used on the hook portion of the hanger.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail bottom plan view of said hanger. r

Fig. 6 is a front view of a modified form of hanger.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken on the line of Fig. 6.

The garment hangers shown in the drawing may be made of corrugated board or other such inexpensive and readily available material.

These materials do not readily resist bending and distortion and, unless stiffened, do not e1- fectively serve as garment hanger material. A common form of stiffening is to fold a portion of the material at an angle to the sheet. While such folded stifienlng means have been employed with some effectiveness on thinner, more highly compressed fibrous sheets, diificulty Was encountered when sought to be used on corrug'ated sheets because of the greater thickness of said sheets and because of the inability to maintain the folded stiffening portions in position. Accordingly, this invention contemplates means for interlocking such stifiening members in place.

According to the invention and referring particularly to Fig. 2, a blank of corrugated or like material is formed with a body it shaped to have shoulder portions ill and a hook portion i2. In keeping with the invention, both the hook portion and the body portion are stiffened.

As shown, the hook portion is formed with an integral lateral part it adapted to be folded on a line M to be superimposed over the portion !2. This provides a double thickness of material for the hook strengthening the same.

Means are provided for keeping the parts it? and i3 together as in Figs. 1 and 3. To this end each part is formed with an integral tab l5 oppositely disposed and arranged to interlock in overlapping relation as best seen in Fig. 3. Score lines l6 may be formed to facilitate bending of said tabs which when interlocked, seek intimate contact which serves to maintain the parts i2 and 53 together. In this manner, a strong hook structure is provided, said structure being both simple and effective.

The body part of the hanger is preferably stiffened longitudinally. As shown, score lines are formed at ll between the body and a foldable portion comprising a leg l8 and a depending leg I9, said latter portion being partially slit through as at" defining said legs. Thus formed, the leg [8 may be folded at an angle to the body (Fig. 4) and the leg I! reentrantly folded so as to be disposed transversely to the plane of said body.

As previously stated, the material employed cannot, of itself, be maintained in the folded position above described. Hence, means for interlocking the parts in folded position are provided. Lateral portions 2| of the bodyare each provided with a ledge 22 and the leg I! with bifurcated ends 23 which both straddle the portions 2| and snap over the ledges 22 as best seen in Figs. 1 and 5. In the above manner a longitudinal stiifeneris provided for the body of the hanger, one which will maintain its position and is simply and inexpensively attained.

The above-described structure is formed from a single sheet of material which may be readily out in dies and either folded as described before sold or preferably shipped flat as in Fig. 2, to be folded to usable condition bythe user. As shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the structure may be varied to include a trousers supporting bar Thus, the body Ill may be scored at Il and the portion 24 cut out of said body and partially slitat 25, 26, 21, and 28 to form the foldable legs 29, 30, 3|, 32, and 33. This structure also may be provided with the interlocks shown in Fig; 1. An effective rail which both stlifens the structure and'serves as a trousers support, is thus provided by a simple dieing and folding process.

The foregoing hangers may be varied within the spirit and scope of the invention. No limitation in the specific language here used is intended to modify, the appended claims. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A garment hanger comprising a sheet of corrugated or like board, an integral longitudinal stiffener formed on said sheet and comprising a portion bent at an angle to said sheet and a portion depending therefrom and folded at an angle to both said sheet and said bent portion, and means for maintaining said stiffener in position, said means comprising extending lugs on said sheet and bifurcated ends of said depending portion interlockingly engaged with said lu s.

2.In a garment hanger, a. hook portion comprising a flat member, a lateral extending member thereon, a fold line whereby the extending member is foldable in superimposed relation upon said flat member, and means for releasably interlocking said members together, said latter means comprising a depending tab on the free end of one of said members and an oppositely direc tab on the free end of the other of said mem here, said tabs having overlapping engagement. 3. In a. garment hanger comprising a sheet of corrugated or like board having laterally extending portions thereon, a longitudinal stiffener therefor comprising a portion folded at an angle to said sheet and disposed between said lateral portions of said sheet, and a depending portion of said folded portion folded at an angle to both said sheet and said folded portion, inwardly extending lugs on said lateral portions said depending portion having its ends bifurcated, and said ends being engaged with the mentioned lateral portions of the sheet above said lugs to maintain the folded portions in position.

4. A garment hangercomprising a sheet of corrugated or like board, said hanger -having a trousers bar, means for stiffening said bar and said hanger comprising integral portions of said sheet bent at an angle thereto, and means for maintaining said stifi'ening means in position, said latter means comprising extending lugs on said hanger sheet and bifurcated ends on said stiffening means for cooperative interlocking engagement with said lugs.

5. A garment hanger comprising a sheet of corrugated or like board, a hook portion for said garment hanger comprising a flat member, a laterally extending member thereon, a fold-line whereby the extending member is foldable in superimposed relation upon said flat member, means for releasably interlocking said members, said latter means comprising 9, depending tab on the free end of one of said members and an oppositely directed tab on the free end of the other of said members, said tabs having overlapping interengagement, downwardly extending lateral portions on said hanger, inwardly extending lugs on said lateral portions, longitudinal stiffening means for said hanger, said latter means comprising a portion partially cut from and folded at an angle to said sheet, and disposed between said lateral portions, and a depending wing of said'folded portion folded at an angle to both said sheet and said folded portion, said depending wing having its ends bifurcated, said ends being engaged with the mentioned lateral portions of the sheet above said lugs to maintain the folded portions in position.

PAUL LIPMAN. 

